Gearing



Aug. 30, 1932.

l. SHORT,

GEARING Filed Dec.` 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l l, SHORT GEARING Aug. 3o, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vFiled Deo. 30, 1950 INVENTOR 112A HoQ-r.

VVIRA snomg'or EssING'roiv, rENNsYLvANIA, AssIGNoitf'ro WESTINMGHOSE ELnoTnIo Patented Aug. 30, 1932 1 UNITED STATES PATENT o1-F1c-i5j-, fv

& MANUFACTURING VCO1V['P.ANY,-A CORPORATION OFV PENNSYLVANIA i .GARING i Application med December 30193o. serial No. 505,590.

My inventien relates toJ gears, more-'particularly of the marine reduction'gear type,

and it hasffor an object ,to provide 'a relatively strong and li ht'driven gear. f

A driven gear o marine reduction gearing, or of gearing where large powers are transmitted, usually comprises a web or spider structurecarrying toothed rims. Ordinarily, the Websor spiders `are cast; lTo provide a lighter andstronger construction, I provide a fabricated center, vspider or web construction in which the elements are fabricated from Iplate stock and connected toconstructions, the outer edges oftheouter- `most webs of the end constructions andthe adjacent junction portions of frusto-conical webs of end and central constructionsl coinpi'ising supporting portions for, the rims,

'struts preferably extending `from either Vside ef the 'junction of the inner frusto-conical webs' of lthe central ,web construction to the end web constructions so that the sets of struts willV be substantially inthe conical surfaces y [tion and the adjoining basal edges of the frusto-'conical'web elements ofthe end and extended of the conical 'webelements of the central web construction. WithV this arrangement of web elements, it is possible to have welded joints between the webs and between the websand the rims. Not only is this type of center or web 'construction conducive to strength and lightness, but these effects are furthered by 'having the Webs joined to the rim so that the latter'is deflected a minimumV under load, whereby the jrim may be made of minimum weight as mini'- mum stifinessis required under the minimum deiiection condition.

n A further' object of my 1 invention is to provide these advantageous features of construction, as well as the meth- Y 0d followed making itv possible to'fabricate l 'y a relatively light and strong gear, particularly the web construction or spider thereof.

A further obj ectof my invention is" to pro` vide an improved method of gear manufacture, the rim or rims being welded' to the cent'eifor web construction andthe assemblyV being annealed prior to cutting ofk teeth in the rims.. Moreparticularly, the steps just Vreferred togare preferably preceded by steps of `center or web constructiomnamely, forming the end web constuctions of connected web-elements.; foming the central web contruction of connected frusto-conical web'elements; in arranging the central web construction between the-end` web constructions;

`in welding together thebasal edges of adjoining frusto-conical web elements of the end and central web-constructions; in welding the apical ends of the frusto-conical web elements of the end constructions to the outermost web elements thereof; in welding the apical v ends of fthe frusto-conical Yweb .ele-

ments of the central web construction 'together'; in welding Astruts to the end web constructions adjacent'to the apical kends of the i theV central web constructionin the vicinity of the joinedapical ends thereof; in annealingthe fabricated center-'or web construction; in providing rims ofslightly less internal'diameter than the diameter of the end and central web constructions; in heating the rims sothat the latter may pass over the vradial web element of the end web construc- Vfrusto-co'nical web elements thereof and to l invention as will .be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this application, in which:

F ig. 1 is a sectional view of my improved.

gear and taken along the line I-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vsectional vieiv taken along the 5 `line H-II of Fig. 1;

Fig.,3 is .an exploded view showing .the gear rims and A'component .elements of vthe center; and, Y V Figs.A t to 7 inclusive, are detail sectional 'w'.vievvs'ofwebconnections.'

Referring noWto-fthe` drawin'gs-more`infdetail, l shovT aV driven gear having a pair of toothed rims 10 carried by a fabricated'center, at 11, connected ,to .the shaft 12. v

Y 1-3 The fabricated centeris made up ofendY` ,no .end Webs Ylfand such basalfedgesare joined Vtogether. Eachrim 10 vencompasses and is .joined toraniend Webfl and v:the adjacent joined basal edgesv 21 andy 22e-.of the vfrus'toconicalwebs :16 and 18. Y l v Y Thea-picalannular flanges 19 are of larg- Y er diameter than .the flanges ,-17 and-struts are jconnectedvto -thef` end Web yconstructions,.a`t 18,1in theQregion'offtheflanfges 17 and-.to thev central.Webt constructiomat. 14e,- in

4o the regionofthejoinedapical flanges v.19.'

y :From .thestructure described, it twill be .apparent that-agear havinga' centerof'this character, `While relatively -light,-is strong .andstiff` and-resists ,deflection or deformation -45 of-any character; .The truste-concialfwebs 5.16 brace .the 'inner `portions offthe rims 10. .Also,1tlie struts .23 serve to stienV Aand V:strengthenY the construction,the struts preferably .being Iarranged in conical sets .ap-

yof: the truste-conicalV Webs 18 sofas tobe'ca- Y -fp'ablef'of "acting .effectivelyto brace-.the gear .'rims.- ifFurthermore, the Ljoi'nt between :the outermost Web and 5the '10 'and the ijointbetween the 2j oined `:basal edges -21 :and 22fo'f truste-conical Webs and the lrim 1`O- are soV spaced arially'with respectto the rimv that 'the deflection ofjthev'la't'er is at `vmininmm to underuniformly distributed'load'. In'other Words, thejoints are' each'spaced-apart a dis# .tance which is, approximately v1/6`times:the

overhang distance at either end. f Duelto supi n.ortingoif the rim .forminimum deflection, thestrfness .required isreducedtoa 1nini-v .proximate'ly .in vthe conicalsurfaces extended mum and, therefore, the rim may be made of minimum Weight.

In order that the gear center 11 may be assembled and rigidly connected to the shaft 12, the latter is provided With cylindrical seats .24.and 25 and with adjacent ianges,26 and ...27, the ,seat 25being of a diameter .at least as great as the diameter of the flange 26 and the Vvshaft opening 2,8 of one end Web construc- Ation-,1 at 13,beinglargerthan thelo'pening 29v Vof-the 'other so *that the largerV opening may pass over` the flange 26 and fi v"seat 25.

.Bolts 3,1 .connect the end Web constructions,

at 13,"to the "flangesv 26 and 27. As a larger numberl of lbolts connect the .flange27- tothe acent end Webconstructionfat 13,. than con- .nect thej flange 26 tothe other end `Webconstruction, the latter has? preferably connect- .ed thereto yanfend reinforcing plate n i Theouter and frusto-conical Web elements .15 and 16 of `thetend '.W'e'b constructions, .at

l13, are preferably connectedby rivets .3.3, and the central .Web construction, at 14, has the .apical flanges .19 thereof` connected .togetherbylbolts 3%1.` In this \vay,thethree component elements of ythejgear centergrare lirstconstructed or assembled, the `rweb elements V15 and..16

Vof each end Web construction, at V13, .being riveted `together and the :truste-conical AWeb. ele- .i

.mentslS of the. centralvveb `construction being bolted together. Y

4Thefend.andcentral web constructionsat y13,.and.14, arefaxially aligned-orsuperposed andWelded,.theadjoiningbasal edges 21 and 22 being .Welded together as shown atfw (Figs. 1 and 7,) the apical fflanges17`he1ng t the cylindrical 'i circumferentially Welded `atthe innerand `having theirvinner and outermarginsfwelde'd tolgetheras shown at 38wand 3910 (Figsl and 5.). `Asalready pointed out,xthe apical vflanges 19 are of llarger diameter. than :the l rflanges 17' and the struts ;28'ha`ve theirends f welded, as shown at 4O w,xto` the vlllang'res'1"..in the rvicinity oflth'e'junction of .theslatter With 'thebody portionrproper ofthe frustoconical "Webs 16 and the other. ends ofthe strutsg23 are Welded, at .4l/w, tothe. `.central .web construc- ..tion,.iat 'lewin-the vicinity ofthe junction. of the; apical flanges 19 Ywith .the body portions proper .of .the'frusto-conical Webs 18. :":The .toothedrims are Welded'at :4:2fwfand 453cv to the, outer Webs .1 5, rthe Welds 42u: .and 43u) ,preferablybe-ing staggered, an'ditV is Welded .at 4410 and l5w to the frusto-.conical Webs `16 and 18, respectively, .the Welds ,4410 and 45u) being'discontinuous and staggered with yrespect to the discontinuous .Welds35wfouter vmargins thereofzto theadjacentouter gweb 15 as'shovvnt at Swand 37e@ (Figsf 1,'.4t-.f and 6),; and the abutting apicalfflanges 19 VIn manufacturing my improved gear, `the shaft 12isprovided with the seats .24e'andg25 andadjacent'flan'ges 26 and27 o'fde'sired sizes.

lhexveb elements y.are-cut .and shaped .from

suitable steel plates withopenings including the shaft openingsprovided in the web elements and 16. The web elements 15 and 16 are riveted together to form the end web con structions, at 13. The web elements 18 of the central web construction, at 14, are connected together by the bolts 34. The two end web constructions, at 13, and the central web construction, at 14, are'then brought together in axial or superposed relation, the basal edges 21 and 22 of the web elements 16 and-18 being welded together, as shown at 3510. Thereafter, the apical fianges 17 are welded at 36u: and 3710 to the end webs 15 and the apical flanges 19 ofthe central web construction have their inner andouter margins welded i .together at 381,0 and 39u). Also the 'struts 23 are welded to the end and central web constructions, at 13 ,and 14, as already pointed out.

The assembledweb construction, at 11, is then annealed, preferably at a temperature of 1000 degrees F., in orderto relieve stresses due to fabrication, particularly, those dueto the welding operations, this temperature being low enough not to affect desired physieai properties of the steel. Next, the center is turned in order to true upthe circumferential web edges, and the rims 10 are bored to slightly smaller diameter thanthe diameter of the web edges. The rims are heated just sufficiently to expand them so that they will pass over the web edges, it being possible to do this without heating the rims to such a teniperature as to disturb their physical properties. After the rims are in place,theyare welded, as shown at 42u), 431,0, 4410, and 45u; to the webs 15, 16, and 18; and, after welding, the assembled structure is subjected to a second stage of annealing, as before, preferably atl ..1000 degrees F., which is low enough not to affect the-desired physical properties. Thereafter,the gear Wheel is rough machined, material being left for finish'ma- ,chining,and the teethare rough cnt. Preferably, afterthese rough n'iachiniifig opera` tions, the gear is subjected to a thirdl stage of annealing at the same temperature as before, the second and third stages ofannealing assuring that any stresses set up in the rim on account of welding, machining, or contraction againstthe web edges'shall be relieved, while retaining desired physical properties. If there should be locked-up stresses in the rims relieved by rough cutting and causing distortion, or if stresses should be' set on account of such cutting or machining, then the third step of annealing provides for relief of stresses prior to finish machining or cutting with the assurance of 'a stable final tooth form. It is to be understood, however, that the third stage of annealing may be omitted, as the second stage may be `quite sufficient to relieve stresses set up on account of welding the rims to thewebs; however, as a matter of precaution, I prefer to subject the-.structure to the third stage'of annealingx The, bolts connect-ing the `web .elements i. 18v

ofthe central. web constructiomat 14,.are

Vremoved and the holes are reame'd, so as to provide for drive fits of slightly larger bolts. Thereafter, the wheel structure is.v finished 12 withV the gear mounted thereonand` connected thereto is now turned so. that the-.tips of the gear teeth willall be in a cylindrical surface which is coaxi al with the axis of the ,80 4

From'the f0regoing,`it will be apparentv shaft 12' and the teeth are finished.

bored, the bolting faces-of the end web conlstructions are finished, and such constructions are 'bolted to the flanges 26 and 27.fy The shaft that'I have devised a gear of themarinereduction type which is strong and `light.`

Strength with lightness is secured byforming the'center or web construction from steel plate and by having the gear rims connected to the center or webv construction in suchV a way that each rim is subjected tominimum deflection under load. As already pointed` 1/6` l times the overhang distance. vWith minimum deflection provided Vfor in this way, it is obvious that minimum stiffness 1s requiredon the partof the rim for satisfactory operation,

and, therefore, the Vweight of the rimmafy be reduced tov a minimum. Aside from the j Aadvantageous features of strength andlightness following from therfabricated type of l" 'center or web construction, on account Of the lmanufacture of the latter from steel plate', 4the material is more dependable and its phys ical properties are more uniform.

Also, the web elementsof the center or web construction are o f such design and are so disposed relatively, that maximum stiffness and strength are secured. yFurthermore, I

`have devised a novel method involving the fabrication and assembly of the gear parts and steps of annealing, including annealing of the gear rims to 'remove stressesand to assure minimum distortion of' finished gear teeth. s Y` While I haveshown my invention in "but argo oneform, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit there- 5 of, and I desire,'therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon asare imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim is: L i 1. In a gear, a pair of toothed' rims and #'awebstructure for Supporting the rims, the

web structurexincluding outer Webs having Vtheir peripheries j oined vto :the .rims -adj ac ent 'to the outer ends ofthe latter, Lfrust-o-conical 35'Webs'havingfrtheir outer edges respectively .,joinedfto theV rims'adjacent to the innerends foflthe' latter and having their inner edges joined together, and 'conical sets of stress members connected to tlie'conical Webs Vadja- T0 cent tothejunctionthereof andconnected to the outerwebs. i v

52.5Infreduction gearing, a shaft, a pair of spacedfouter Webs, a'pair of toothed gear rims encompassing the'vve'bs'and :joined to lthe latter at outer tend regions of the rims, bracing *Webs connected :to the gear rims at regions -adjacenttoinner ends thereofand extending invvardlytoward the respective outerwebs fandfconnectedithereto to form innerjunction L20v portions, means yfor connecting the junction portions to l'the shaft, and cross-bracing means connected to the inner end portions =ofthe lrims vandatosaid junction portions.

` Bil-In reduction gearing, end Web constructions reach Iincluding an outer Web andan inner -frusto-.conical web having its central portion connected to the outer web, a central Webconstructionincluding a pairV of frusto- 'conical-Webs-'having their apical ends con- 39 nected together'an'dv havingtheir basal edges disposed adjacent tothe basal edges of said inner frusto-conical Webs, a toothed gear rim encompassin'gfeach outer Webv and thel adjacent pair of (basal edges of frustofconical 135 Websf and .means providing junction connecf tions between 'the gear rims andthe outer Websfandfbetween the gearrimsand the adjacent .basalfedgesof the frusto-conical Webs .54.'-Invreduction.gearing, end Web construc- 540 :,tionseachiincluding'anfouter Web having a centralfshaft lopening and an Yinner frustoconical Webhaving -a central .flange portionY provided .With shaft opening registering Withthe radial web shaftopening and the yflange portion being connectedtothe outer Weba Icentr-aljfvveb- 'construction including a ,pairs of frustoconical vWebs having `adjacent apicalportions.connected together and hav-r ing their basaledges disposed adjacent to the `basal edgesof saidinner frusto-conical Webs,

.a.t0,othed gearfrinrencoinpassing each outer web -and the adjacent basal edges of frustoconical Webs, meansfproviding junction con- Y nections between the gear rims and the outer Webs and 'between the. gear rims and the adj agcent-vbasal'edgesof the frusto-conical Webs,

' .and .stress members oining Vthe connected .portions of the Webs of the end web constructionsy and the connected apical portions of the rWebs oftheceiitral Web construction.

,5. :In reductionV gearing, end Web construc- -tionsfieach includinganl outerivveb having a central shaftopeningfandan inner frustoconical Web having a central apical flange 9.5 'abutting theouter Web 'and provided'with a adjacent joined basal-edgesof 'frusto-conical shaft openingfregistering with the youter `web rivets andV inner and outer circumferential Welds between the margins ofthe flange por-V tions and the outer Webs iacentral'vvebfconstruction includinga pair offrusto-conical Webs having abuttingapical flanges andrhaving their basal edges :arranged -iniabu'tting relation with respect to thebasal edges of the inner Yfrusto-conical Webs, means for-.con` ynecting VtheY abutting apical f ianges including circumferential `vvelds;and1a toothed-:gear riin encompassing each outer web vand the Webs and WeldedV thereto.

shaft opening and means lfor. connectingthe ;v `flange portions it'o the outer Webs including- Y 6. In reduction gearing, end Web construc- 'tions each including an outer Web `having-a central shaft vopening and an -innerfru'stoconical Web having its central portion construction including a pair-of frusto-conical Webs having their apicall ends c'onne'cted'to-V gether and having theirfbasaledges-connected to the basal' edges'of said inner frustocentral shaft openingand' anA inner frus'toconical vveb having Van apical flange opening, registering With the shaft opening of the outer Web, means Yfor connecting tlie'apical i,

flanges to the outer Webs includingfcircum' ferential Welds between the i innerand outer margins of the flange portions andithezoutei Webs; Va central web construction'including a "nected to the' outer Webfa'central Web conpair of frusto-conical Webs having abutting first apical flanges',l means for/connecting the abutting apical flanges includinginnerand outer circumferential Welds connecting the 'margins thereof; the basal'edges offtheffrusto-conical Webs of the central vveb'construc`1l tion. being YWelded tothel basal edges of the frusto-conical Webs of the en'dvvvebconstructions; strut means Weldedto the endweb'constructions in the vicinity of the apical flanges n thereof 'and welded to `the/central web con? struction inthe region of the connected apical flanges thereof; and a toothed gear 'rim en- Y coinpassing each outer Web and thea'djacent vjoined basal edges of frusto-conical Webs ofthe Vend and central Web 'constructions and Welded thereto.

8f.' In reduction gearing, a shaft having spaced cylindricalvseatsand adjacent vflanges,

the seats and 'flanges being 'similarly disposed and one of the seatsbeing of a diameter HPCPJ flanges of larger diameter than thelm at least as great as the diameter of the flange adjacent to the other seat; end Web constructions each including an outer Web having a central shaft opening and an inner frustoconical Web having an apical iiange portion provided with a shaft opening registering With the outer web shaft opening and the flange portion being connected to the outer Web; the shaft openings in said end Web constructions having such diameters that one tsone of said seats and theother ts the other of said seats; a central Web construction including a pair of frusto-conical Webs having adjacent apical flanges connected to-` gether and having their basal edges disposed adjacent to the basal edges of said inner frusto-conical Webs; a toothed gear rim encompassing to each outer Web and the adjacent joined basal edges of the truste-conical Webs, and means providing junction connections between the gear rims and the outer Webs and between the gear rims and the adj acent basal edges of the frusto-conical Webs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed Iny name this 19th day of December,

1930.V Y l IRA SHORT. 

